The present disclosure relates generally to a gas cooktop, and more particularly to a gas cooktop providing combustion air via openings through the cooktop.
In general, gas cooktops are surface cooking systems that include more than one gas surface burner, and may be a stand-alone unit that is mounted, for example upon a kitchen countertop. Operation of the surface burners may be accomplished with burner control knobs located on the cooktop surface. Below each knob, the cooktop may have a control clearance orifice or opening, which may allow air to pass down into the burner box of the cooktop. When a control knob is actuated, fuel is supplied to associated burners and an ignition module may create a spark to ignite the gas and air mixture to produce a flame. The gas burners can sit upon the cooktop and below grates on which cooking utensils are supported.
In a conventional cooktop, when more than one burner is operating, the burners may compete for air provided through the air openings. Air is generally pulled to the burner along the path of least resistance through the openings, resulting in competition between the burners for primary air. The lack of a dedicated air intake for each separate burner in a multiple burner cooktop generally results in an inability of a burner to overcome the negative pressure being induced by the air draw of the other burners. For example, when more than one burner is operating, primary air demand for a burner at a higher setting may tend to overwhelm that of a burner operating at a lower setting, and may even pull air downward through that burner. This may increase a minimum amount of fuel required to sustain a stable flame, such as at a simmer burner for example, than would otherwise be necessary if the other burners are not operated.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a gas cooktop arrangement that overcomes at least some of the problems identified above.